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Sunday, December 30, 2012

I feel like I have to do something productive today... I've had the worst cold for the last few days. Each day I wake up expecting to feel better, but just end up feeling worse. Yesterday I hit the couch at 4:00, Dan put on the the 3 original Star Wars movies and I dozed in and out of consciousness, until about 7 this morning. I've done a grocery shopping trip, tidied up some christmas presents, after Dan packed up our tree and decorations, and I think that's about all I'll accomplish today. I just feel absolutely rotten and so incredibly exhausted. Being sick really sucks because I can't stand being unproductive! And laying around all day is just so painfully difficult for me...

Anyway, over the holidays, my uncle pulled out a box of treasures from my Grandmother who passed away two years ago, January. I grabbed a few things that had gone unwanted, like one of her high school year books. She is pictured above, Lorine Miller (though her first name was really spelled Loreen). I like this picture, she looks so serious; I can just imagine how responsibly she would have handled her job in the Senior Literary Society... I am so much like her.

I also found a scrapbook of cards, newspaper clippings, and writings, a charm bracelet, a pendant filled with little gold pieces her and my Grandpa Jack had panned in the Yukon, a small gold watch with an inscription from my Grandpa, and a little metal thimble. I am so grateful to have these things; I miss my Grandma so much, I really wish I could share with her all the little details about my business. She would be so proud and interested in the things I do, and I know she would be able to impart on me wise advice, as she was always an entrepreneurial spirit and successful business woman, especially for her time. I am happy to have these little mementos, it makes me feel like I have a part of her near me all of the time. Though I have to admit, at times it makes me a little sad...

I've spent a lot of time thinking about Gram lately. I dusted off her recipe box to make cookies and coconut strawberries before Christmas. Her writing was always so scrawling and hard to read, much like mine. The cards were missing ingredients, and it made me laugh because that is totally something I would do. After mixing all of my cookie ingredients, carefully spooning out the dough onto my old baking pan and popping it in the oven, I sat at my kitchen table and surveyed the mess. All of my kitchen cupboard doors were left open, the counter top covered in coconut and stray chocolate chips, I felt my face streaked with flour, and thought, "I am just like my Gram..."

Friday, December 28, 2012

Driving home from the in-laws last Sunday, I saw on twitter that the Lingerie Addict had posted a Best of 2012 list. I clicked the link to see who had been mentioned and was absolutely shocked to see that I was on it! I felt so incredibly honoured to be mentioned among such talented designers & brands. Check out the full list HERE!

I am sick again with a cold this time, but am starting to feel a little better this morning. I am itching to get back to my sewing machine, though to be completely honest, Christmas was so exhausting I feel like I need a vacation just to recover from it. We traveled around a lot, had some Christmas morning drama with an unexpected "burning" of a Christmas gift (don't even ask...), did a lot of forgetting things, then having to turn around and make trips twice, I did a day of baking for a Christmas event we were hosting only to have half of the guests arrive... By the end of it, I was in tears from sheer exhaustion (has that ever happened to you, tired tears?) and have now wound up with a cold. Definitely was not the best Christmas ever, but I suppose it also wasn't the worst! But, I am incredibly glad it's over for another year! :)

My shop has remained pretty busy over the last few weeks, and I'm still catching up from my Cyber Monday Sale. I wanted to remind people that if they are wanting to order goodies for Valentines day, now is the time to start thinking about it!

I am preparing a few things for the next month... there will be a sweet give away soon, a photoshoot I am super super super excited about, and I am busily hording corset supplies so I can add two corset styles to my next collection!

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Today is the most quiet, peaceful day of the year. I woke up this morning with no real urge to do anything. We drank coffee, opened gifts, I played guitar and sang Christmas carols, and we walked the dog. It is crisp and cold outside, and lightly snowing. The streets are so quiet.

It's been a busy lead up to this day; shopping, wrapping, sewing, preparing. Two days ago we were at my in-laws in Toronto and ate our first turkey dinner of the season. I received the most thoughtful selection of gifts, including a pair of earrings I was coveting from A Pocket full of Posies, and an amazing handmade mug from my mother in law who is a gifted potter (I am sipping my coffee out of it this morning). Yesterday we entertained here, then visited with my parents and my little brother and worked on our annual Christmas puzzle, which seems to get harder every year. We will head out there again shortly.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday, however you choose to celebrate. I hope you can be with the ones you love, and are able to indulge in something special. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Wonderful New Year!

Friday, December 21, 2012

Tis the Season... to be under the weather!

Ugh, I have had this icky stomach thing for the last few days. Totally unpleasant! Overall I'm feeling 'ok' but no food seems to be agreeing with me... so that has been frustrating and annoying. My pants fit too loose now!

Christmas seems to feel busier and busier every year. I remember Christmas as a kid, it was so relaxing. Just good food, family, very little traveling. Now it feels like we are somewhere nearly every day... this year, starting on Sunday we have 5 days of 'festivities.' I am usually so exhausted by New Years Eve that we just spend the night in. I feel like I still have a lot to do to get ready for Christmas... AND a LOT of sewing to do!!!

I hope everyone has a very special holiday and is able to spend it with friends & family!

Tilly, from Tilly & the Buttons, is a blogger & seamstress that I really admire (she is probably the neatest seamstress I have ever seen!), so I was absolutely honoured when she asked me to contribute to her A Day in the Life Series. This series chronicles designers & seamstresses, their day to day schedules & challenges. I had so much fun writing this post and reading the comments!

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

So far, being self employed is awesome. It's got it's down sides, like adjusting to not having a regular pay cheque, and being hyper-aware of every dollar you spend (probably a good thing, regardless). Another thing I am struggling with is avoiding distractions.

For me, a sink full of dirty dishes is a major distraction. A dog-hair covered rug cannot go without being vacuumed once I notice it. If I hear an email come in, I get distracted at the computer then have a hard time getting back to my sewing machine. I'm finding myself being distracted by other things that are equally as productive, but maybe not as high up on my list of importance as completing an order...

So, that is something I am struggling with, but I'm sure it will come with time. I am very proud of myself for a few things... first, I have not let myself sleep in, and I always start my day by 8:30. I take a bit of time every evening to tidy my studio before calling it a day, and things are staying organized and under control... Lastly, and totally unrelated to work, I am eating so much more healthy! Having the time in your day makes a world of difference... I start my day with a smoothie, have a home made granola bar a little later on, leftovers from the night before for lunch, then a homemade meal for dinner. I'm embarrassed to admit what my previous diet consisted of... a big, sugary muffin for breakfast, fast food for lunch (we had no lunch room and by lunch hour I was desperate for an escape!), by the time I got home I'd be so exhausted we'd probably eat out again, or I'd throw a frozen pizza in the oven... I really love to cook and bake so it has been awesome to have the time and flexibility to do so.

So, overall, life is good! Staying on task is something I've really struggled with over the years; I tend to have so many ideas, so many things going on in my head it's hard to focus on just one for fear I might lose my great ideas if I don't act on them in the moment! That's something I'd like to work on and improve on.

In other news, I finished the custom bra I was working on. I really like it but am really anxious to hear how it fits! Fingers crossed!!

Monday, December 10, 2012

This is a bra I've been mulling over for a while... I had a request from a customer with a very petite band but comparability larger cup size, who wanted sometime soft and comfortable but with support. I could really empathize with her request. I have a 28" band measurement and a 38" bust measurement. To look at me, I am on the curvy side, but no where near Dolly Parton status (Though I did get mistaken for her once at a pharmacy in a very sketchy part of Toronto...), but bras have always been a struggle for me.

I had made a bra similar to this in jersey with stretch lace, which I liked, but found that the center sat too far away from my chest. The customer I am working with also wanted the bra entirely in a non-stretch satin, which posed even more of a challenge. Fitting in jersey is so much easier than fitting in non stretch fabrics.... I'll be working on her bra today, and crossing my fingers that all goes well. Bras can be such a challenge to fit in new sizes!

So, after sewing probably three or four of these I think I have my pattern down pat... I wore the ones I made all weekend, and they are super comfy. I've lined them entirely in organic cotton jersey, which is soft and helps to add some support and body to the fabric.

The front of the bra still sits slightly away from the chest because there is no wire to hold it down flat. The one thing I am very happy with about this bra is it does not give larger chested women that "Shelf boob" effect, it really does separate and give a natural look.

When I finished my first bra and laid it out flat, I thought to myself, "congratulations, Sarah! You've designed a grandma bra..." But when I tried it on, it was totally flattering. Really accentuates the curves, and most importantly, is comfortable.

Last Christmas I really thew myself into a tizzy, making all of my gifts by hand. This year I just don't have the time, but I am working on a few handmade details to go with my Christmas Gifts, as well as some handmade goodies for my husband.

This is our first Christmas in our house. Previously, I had always lived in small apartments and never did much decorating. I always put up a tree, but that was about it. This year I've had the opportunity to decorate my outdoor planters with cedar boughs and eucalyptus, add some new decorations to my Christmas tree, and I sewed some stockings for on our fireplace. I have always wanted to hang stockings by the fireplace... dream come true!

My husband and I are very budget conscious... Most of my decorations are dollar store finds, or things that I have made myself. I went with my mom to Michael's Craft store last weekend to get a few decorations and could not afford a single thing from that store! I was blown away at how expensive Christmas things can be... I mean, you really only have the decorations up for one month of the year. I'm not sure that I'll ever get out of that 'poor student' mentality!

I really like how my stockings turned out. I used a piece of fabrics I had bought off Etsy to make cushions out of. I lined them with scrap broadcloth, and used some scraps of burlap and ribbon to dress them up. I cut and braided regular old twine to create a loop to hang them.

I got quite a bit of Christmas crafting done this weekend... I also made some salt dough ornaments, which took me back to being 5 years old again and hanging out with my grandma. I painted them ivory yesterday, and am just waiting to string some ribbons through them, then will use them as gift tags on my presents.

Friday, December 7, 2012

One of my favourite bloggers, Tilly, is having a super awesome AMAZING giveaway on her blog! The contest ends Saturday 8th December 2012 at midnight GMT. This is an amazing give away for sewing enthusiasts! She has so many prizes, including one of my pdf patterns. Head on over to her blog for more details on how to enter :)

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Do you follow the wash instructions on all of your clothes?

I have to admit, I don't... I machine was as many things as possible!

When you order from me, you will find, attached to your package, a small label with wash instructions. Previously, I had been advising that you hand wash your lingerie. I still stand by the fact that to prolong the life, colour, and structure of these delicate pieces, they should be hand washed and hanged to dry. However, I have to admit I machine wash most of my lingerie.

I wear a lot of my own designs on a regular basis (but not exclusively! I do love a La Senza Cotton knicker to be honest), and am lazy when it comes to laundry. Most of my satin & lace panties & jersey panties can be machine washed in cold on a delicate cycle. Here's a quick rundown of some Do's and Don'ts for washing your lingerie

DO wash in cold water only. This preserves the colour and prevents running. It's also easier on your energy bill. You're welcome!

DO tumble dry your flannel panties. They will get softer with each wash.

DON'T machine dry stretch lace. The small elastics woven into the lace will heat and break, causing sadness all around.

DO use common sense! Delicate fabrics, like the sequins pictured below can only be hand washed.

DON'T use bleach. Do use a gentle detergent. Bleach breaks down delicate elastics and fibers.

DO be careful what you wash with your delicates Avoid washing your lingerie with garments that could cause snags, like jeans with zippers, garments with velcro, etc. I wash my delicates with towels to prevent snags.

DON'T put garments with raw edges, like Ruffle Bloomers, in the washer or dryer. You'll end up with a thready mess. Handwash only, and hang to dry.

DO iron your cotton or satin lingerie on a 'silk' or 'medium' setting. You might find they look wrinkly when they are washed. Avoid pressing any bows, lace, or trims, and always test your setting on an inconspicuous place.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Last night I finished up a few custom request ruffle thongs for a customer. She wanted them in a selection of my fall/winter fabrics. The ruffle thong uses quite a bit of fabric - anyone who has used my pattern will know that they look huge before you ruche them with the elastic - but they are snuggly and comfy for a thong!

I use a pearl edge on my thongs, which I do with my serger. If you don't have a serger, you can easily fold over your edge and zig-zag with a narrow stitch. It finishes it off just as nicely! I've also added narrow stretch elastic to the raw edges before ruching, which creates a nice, lacey ruffled edge.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

I feel like we have done nothing but installed doors over the last few months... We replaced our front and back door at the end of the summer and just finished our french doors yesterday (and got our little christmas tree up too!).

As the weather started getting cooler, and our furnace started running what seemed like every few minutes, we figured out that the front entry way of our house, and the stairway, are probably the coldest parts of our house. So, we thew some curtains up in the door way to see if that would help make our main living area a little warmer... and it made a big difference. So, we decided to invest in some french doors to block off the entry way.

I am incredibly fortunate that my dad is able to get me a good deal on things like this, and helps us install everything, otherwise there would be no way we could afford to have all of the beautiful home improvements we have done! The doors ended up being a little more complicated than we had thought, due to the fact that absolutely nothing in this house is level. At least I know, at this point, it's done all of the shifting it's going to do :)

We have a few more projects that need to be done around the house. Our chimney needs to be repaired, our garage is literally falling down and needs to be rebuilt, and I'd really like to drywall and insulate our entry way. I'm getting a little tired of the paneling... though it does have it's charm :)

My little sewing area is just on the other side of this door. Now I'll be able to stay toasty warm while I sew, with out getting chilly blasts of air from this room.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Yesterday our internet went down and was out for the whole day... I sat and sewed and listened to Christmas music on the radio, and thought... about the internet and my place on it. I do a lot of pondering while I sew.

I struggle sometimes with the idea of Perfection. I think creative people especially have this problem. Creating, at the core, should be something we do for ourselves, some kind of expression of your inner self, yadda yadda yadda... but really, a lot of 'creating' is about the reaction you get from others. I don't think many designers would keep designing if they kept getting negative reviews, or writers would keep writing if everyone told them their work was shit... Part of what drives the creative process is seeing people's (hopefully positive) reaction to it. I think that statement is fair and true. I think creative people love to create, and also love to please people. This is both a great driving force and a potentially dangerous thing.

Pleasing people is a funny thing. It can be so easy... opening a door for a stranger, a smile, a thoughtful gift, a beautiful image. At times, it can be exceptionally & unexpectedly hard. And it can be devastating when you try, but fail to please.

I've always been a bit of an 'individual,' never really following along with the crowd, but that hasn't stopped me from being a people pleaser. We all like to make people happy. I am finding that this is something I struggle with, in my professional life. Saying 'Yes' to everyone and feeling horrible when I disappoint. That, and just the simple fear of screwing up.

I've worked a lot in retail, and I know that customers can sometimes be hard to please (I've even been one of those customers). I've been extremely fortunate with Ohhh Lulu to have wonderful customers who are patient, kind, understanding... I kind of feel like I've hit the client-lottery. But, that doesn't stop me from losing a few winks at night, worrying about a horrible review or a customer who absolutely hates what you've done...

The internet can be the perfect place for a people pleaser. Its pretty easy now a days to follow a cookie cutter template and be a Pinterest Star, Super Blogger, Tumbler Aficionado... It's nice to be liked and followed, retweeted, have people say nice things about you. But, when you put yourself, and your work on a public forum, you are also completely open to criticism, which we've all heard the stories, can sometimes be really unkind.

To be honest, it's probably just a matter of time, or maybe it's already out there and I just don't know about it because I don't look. It is hard, as someone who creates, to separate what you do from people's reaction to it. They are so intrinsically connected, but at the same time, unimportant. Public reaction is so 'in your face' on the internet.

I have found, through my short experience as one who creates, that the pieces I create to please myself, are the ones that get the best reaction. The pieces I try my hardest on, are the ones that flop. I guess I'm flip-flopping on my opening statement... pleasing people is a driving force, but should not be the inspiration.

One of the driving factors of leaving my job was to pursue something that I enjoy. Now that I am doing it, I can see that there are lots of ways one could steer a business, especially a creative one, to make it a living nightmare... We will always have critics, and I can completely see how a handful of critics could really ruin that creative force... I can see how, aside from the workload, it could be very stressful. I'm taking the approach that it's important to embrace the positive, not focus on the negative, and learn from my mistakes... And I expect to make many!

Something I try to do in my everyday life, and on my blog, is share my mistakes and how I feel about them. I don't do it to be down on myself... I just feel that the internet is so full of perfect people... perfect, unrealistic, people, that it is important to share that sometimes, no matter how hard you try, things don't go perfectly. I make mistakes all the time. Sometimes they are chaotic, unforeseeable mistakes, sometimes as a result of carelessness. I think we'd all feel a lot better about ourselves if we shared these things more often. When I was training my replacement at my job, it really felt great when I asked her how she was doing and how she felt she was learning and she said, "You know, I'm really glad you've shared some things you've found difficult and made mistakes with, because it's made me less afraid to make mistakes in the future..." That was a nice foot to leave off on.

To sum up my little Saturday Morning blog post, here are some photos of my pets taken with my new DSLR camera!! I love it so much, I don't know how I lived without it!

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

I feel like I just gave notice to my job yesterday...though I'm on week three, or maybe it's four (?) of self-employment. So far, so good, the world hasn't spontaneously collapsed around me or anything! *knock on wood*

I am still finding myself very busy, but much less stressed when I take a day or two completely off. Last Saturday my dad came into put up some French Doors with Dan, then afterwards Dan and I took a snowy walk around downtown, window shopped in the antique stores, and drank fancy, expensive coffees from my favourite little coffee shop. It was so nice. Afterwards, we came home, and I knitted and watched movies. I really love the winter.

This weekend, I hope to get my second french door up. This house is so out of level, putting up a door turned out to be a whole day event. Most of the trim had to come off, and now needs repainting, and because our floors are so warped, the door required some creative cutting... But the one door is in and looks awesome, and will keep our living area much warmer (our front entry way stays at about 13 Celcius)! I know that open concept is the 'modern look', and I'm essentially blocking off my rooms the way the house originally was, but I really like the coziness of having separate rooms. We are actually planning on dividing our living room/dining room with bookshelves and columns this winter. My poor old house has been so neglected... it feels so good to give it a second life!

Aside from home improvements, which truly are never ending, I went with my mom, aunt & cousin to the One of a Kind show in Toronto. It was slightly disappointing, and everything was pretty much out of my Christmas spending budget. I went two years ago and got a ton of stuff... this year wasn't as good, I found many of the vendors were very, very similar, especially the clothing vendors. I would have loved to have seen more variety and Variety in pricing too... On top of that, my mom tried on an 'all natural, organic' hand cream that she developed an allergic reaction to and was sneezing, and eyes watering the whole way through! I made only a very small dent in my Christmas Shopping, and am very tired today... I had been considering selling at the Spring One of a Kind show, through Etsy (they have table deals for vendors), but am now thinking it's not such a great idea...

Later this morning my little 'nephew' is coming over for the day. We were just at his 3rd Birthday Party on Sunday, which was a total riot. His parents organized an Amazing Race all over their property, which is out in the woods just north of town. It was so much fun, and the kids had a blast... however, that too was exhausting! So, I feel like the last two days have been very tiring, and I haven't even touched my sewing machine since Friday!

Thursday, November 22, 2012

I thought I'd give a quick update on the kitty (Lydia) that we adopted. As you might remember, we found out, after adopting her, that she had a pretty serious heart condition, along with a few other health problems. The heart condition is still there, of course, but you'd never know it for how active this cat is! I had forgotten just how wacky cats are.

After we got Lydia on antibiotics for her infection, she really perked up. We fattened her up quite a bit (accidentally... she's been getting into the bacon grease I had in a can by the sink!), and she is really at home. I don't know if I'd say she's a 'nice' kitty, but she's full of personality and really holds her own against the dog. Between Oliver & Lydia, it's seriously a laugh a minute around here. Gosh... I do love animals, they are just the best!

Anyway, she is doing great! And I am glad to see her healthy and happy, I feel like I gave her a second chance, which is quite an awesome feeling.

Also, I finally got around to buying a DSLR camera, see how nice Lydia's portrait turned out? :)

Monday, November 19, 2012

Yesterday was such a great day! My best friend Abbey and her Boyfriend came up from the city... We ate lunch at a local greasy spoon, took a walk along the lake, watched a bit of the Santa Claus Parade downtown, then had coffee & conversation at my house. Afterwards, I found these stunning photos in my inbox.

Graciela from IndigoLOVE Photography contacted me about a month ago. I really loved her natural yet quirky styling, so I was excited to send her a few pieces a few weeks ago. This is the thing I love the most about the internet, being able to meet and connect with so many amazing, talented people!

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

I have been so busy! I love it! Yesterday I met with a local woman who makes handmade cards, wedding invitations, and scrapbooks - she's thinking of getting into the business of doing invitations through Etsy, as well as DIY scrapbook and card kits. It was nice to sit down with a fellow crafter!

The rest of the day I spent cutting orders, and replying to emails. I seem to have, in the process, injured the middle finger on my left hand. I think it's actually a cyst... but it's bruised and large and awkward and... I'm big whiny baby, so I have to mention it! This morning my little brother is coming over to help me get some yard work done before the snow comes. We have a small lot - though in the grand scheme of city lots, I suppose it's a decent size - with lots of leaves! My brother is so handy and always good to help out when I need him. Gosh, brothers are such a nice thing to have.

Peekaboo!

I am also preparing a bunch of new items - specifically new Cheeky panties, High waist Panties, and French Knickers & a couple new camisoles - because Cyber Monday is quickly approaching!!!

Thursday, November 8, 2012

It's only November 8th, and it is freezing. We've only had one snowfall, but it didn't stick around. It's just cold. At least it's sunny. For me, if it's going to be cold, I want at least the pleasure of seeing the pretty, white snow. I've been finding our little old house very chilly lately!

Yesterday I went into the office to help out a bit. It's been a month since I 'quit' and I'm not really feeling like I'm breaking my ties very well which is frustrating. I fully believe in leaving every job on good terms, as you never want to burn your bridges, but part of why I was leaving was because I just did not enjoy the job anymore, and there was too much stress worrying about TWO small business. I still don't feel like that stress is gone... I guess that will come in time. I am an impatient person.

I'm starting to have a routine for my days off. I start early, normally waking up between 6 and 7, reply to emails, walk the dog, do a little housework, reply to more emails, cut, sew, package, walk to the post office, make dinner... It's a pretty good routine, and I like the silence and spending my days alone. It's funny, I know many people who would go nuts spending the days entirely alone, but I really like it. I like the quiet, I like to be lost in my own thoughts with no one to interrupt me. I have enough going on in my head at times for two people, so maybe that's why :) I am still working long hours in front of the sewing machine, but I am feeling pretty grateful (though still very intimidated by the whole process).

Monday, November 5, 2012

This weekend I did something a little unusual for me... I hardly sewed! I shopped with my mom, went to a memorial with some old friends for a friend of ours who passed away ten years ago, then entertained them at my house for a while, I had dinner with my cousins, I sat on the couch and snuggled with Dan & Oliver for two hours, I started reading a new book, I watched movies, I wasted an hour on Pinterest.... It was so great! I am so excited about having weekends back in my life again.

This week, I am only going into work one day. I guess it's a slow transition into self-employment, which I guess is good. I think it's going to take me some time to adjust. The whole idea of me governing my own time, all the time, sounds so awesome, but also really hard. I think if you've been following this blog for a while, you'll know that I'm a pretty dedicated, self-motivated person, but even with that, it's hard to always make yourself get up off the couch in the morning, put down your book, set aside Bubble Witch Saga (I am so embarrassed, but I'm obsessed with that game), and get to work and stay at work. I think that's the challenge of working from home. There are so many distractions.

Anyway, I am enjoying myself and have a so many thing so going on in my head right now, lots of ideas and designs and plans for the coming months. I've got a few new pieces that I need to list in my etsy shop, and I'm hoping to have some more cheeky panties styles to add soon too. This set is one set that I'll be adding. It's my favourite pink satin covered in champagne coloured lace, with corset style bone casings (but no bones) over the seams.

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Happy Halloween, everyone! This is one of the best days of the year. An excuse to stuff yourself with candy and wear silly outfits. I hope we get a few trick-or-treaters tonight, or else I have a big bag of candy to eat...

A while back, I finished a large custom order for a lady who wanted a nice variety of vintage-inspired pieces. It was a very fun order to sew - she gave me some indication as far as colours and styles as a starting point. A few of the pieces she wanted were based of some of the my first pieces of lingerie, so it was fun to revive some older pieces.

I did a pair of mesh french knickers with a gathered satin waistband. I really like this style band, it's so pretty and soft. To do a waist like this, I tear a 4" wide strip of satin, the entire width of the fabric, fold in half with the right side out, and stitch my elastic casings (two of them, 1/2" wide each). I then cut my elastic to the desired length (adding an inch for overlap), and insert the elastic. Because the elastic is much smaller then the casing, it begins ruching the casing. I then press it, so all of the gathers lay flat, and sew it on to the garment.

She also wanted a set in coral silk - I did a thong and cheeky panty to match.

And, this set, which I absolutely love. The fabric is so pretty - dusty purples and greys with a lovely rose print.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

It's been a busy couple of weeks. Last week, I trained my replacement. She's picking everything up quickly, my job really wasn't very difficult... This week I'm only working two days there; Today and Thursday. However, today I woke up with a splitting headache so I'm laying down, trying to feel a little better before I head out... Getting migraines sucks (and I don't even get them that bad or that often), they can really interfere with your day to day life, because when you get one you really can't do anything but lay in a dark, silent room until it passes. I am incredibly lucky that if I take a handful of pills, lay down in the dark and sleep for a couple of hours, I can usually go on with my day. But even after that, there's the 'migraine hangover'... I am starting to feel a bit better now (my migraines usually strike in the very early morning or late afternoon), but my eyes feel weir and it's hard to concentrate...

Anyway, I should be counting my blessings, migraine and all, after seeing the pictures of the East Coast of the US... we are feeling just some of the effects far into Ontario, but nothing like what's been going on in New York and along the coast. I hope if I have any readers in that area that they are safe and dry.

Between sewing orders, baby sitting, and spending some much needed time with my wonderful husband, I've been trying a few new things. I've wanted to have a bra with cups in my collection for a while now. A few months back, I picked up a 1960's "Natural Look" bra pattern that I based this off of. The original pattern was kind of funny - it was incredibly small and meant for stretch knits. I think it was actually a "training bra", based on the size. So, I sized it up, changed the band to accommodate woven, bias cut fabrics, made the cups slightly fuller... but kept that vintage look that the original pattern had.

I used my favourite pink satin, and paired it with a ruffle knit fabric. I like this fabric, it's got little sequins sewn in rows on it. The fabric is very, very delicate though and would need to be carefully hand washed and stored.... Speaking of which, I am hoping to have lingerie bags soon, which machine-wash lingerie can be washed in, and delicate lingerie can be stored in. This fabric, for instance would easily pull of caught on a hook or a zipper, so storing it in a bag would keep it perfect, longer.

The back of the bra is like one of the first bras I offered - strappy open elastic... This was a common style back in the 50's and 60's, I think because it offered a lot of stretch, when using non-stretch fabric on the band...